Details
- ERC sector
- LS9 - Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering
- ERC subsector
- LS9_10 - Veterinary and applied animal sciences
- Project start date
- CUP
- D53D23021890001
- Financial support received
- €65.731,00
DonKeyWorld: a comprehensive study on Equus asinus from biodiversity management to milk nutraceutical and technological properties
Description and purpose
DonKeyWorld explores Italian donkey biodiversity, integrating genomics, milk characterization, and microbiota studies. The project involves large-scale sampling of at least 450 donkeys which allows the creation of a genomic and milk biobanks that never existed before. Thus, it provides new insights into conservation, sustainable farming, and the valorization of donkey milk as a nutraceutical resource.
Purpose
The project aims to safeguard Italian donkey heritage and enhance its economic and scientific value. The genomic studies are carried out to assess peculiarities, within-breed diversity, and levels of inbreeding, providing key knowledge for conservation strategies. At the same time, donkey milk is valorized through the analyses of its qualitative, technological, and nutraceutical aspects, while foal microbiota is investigated as a proxy for potential benefits of donkey milk for human health.
Expected results
DonKeyWorld is expected to deliver tools to safeguard donkey biodiversity and promote milk valorization. Expected outcomes include: a national genomic databank of over 450 donkeys to build strategies for conservation and sustainable breeding, a biobank of individual milk samples with over 60 phenotypes related to technological and nutraceutical profiling from several breeds, and insights from foal microbiota to evaluate donkey milk effects on human health.
Achieved results
DonkeyWorld has already genotyped over 200 donkeys from all Italian breeds, publishing the first open-access paper on their genomic diversity. More than 300 milk samples were collected and analyzed for quality, cheesemaking aptitude, and nutraceutical traits. Standardized protocols for foal–jenny microbiota sampling were implemented, with ongoing analyses. Dissemination included presentations at international conferences, high-impact publications, and active breeder engagement.
Scientific director
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